Primary blog: Cruz will be in Indy for election returns
UPDATE 9:30 P.M., MONDAY: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz closed out a day of campaigning Monday with a rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Cruz was joined on stage by Carly Fiorina, whom he tapped last week as his running made should he win the GOP presidential nomination. TV personality Glenn Beck was among supporters who rallied the crowd before Cruz's entrance.
Cruz recounted his confrontation from earlier Monday with a Donald Trump supporter at a campaign stop in Marion, Ind. The protester greeted Cruz by saying, “You are the problem, politician, you are the problem.".
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Cruz told the crowd at the fairgrounds that the Trump supporter cursed and yelled.
"I was glad to see he was channeling the candidate he was supporting," Cruz said.
Cruz continues his Indiana campaign Tuesday with stops in Westfield and Evansville. He will return to Indianapolis for an election night watch party at 7 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Union Station.
UPDATE 8:26 P.M., MONDAY: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders mocked Donald Trump's views on climate change during a rally Monday night in Downtown Indianapolis.
"Trump has made the brilliant observation that not only is climate change a hoax, but a hoax originated in China," the Democratic candidate told a crowd of thousands on Monument Circle. "That really shocked me. I would've thought he would've believed it was a hoax generated by Mexico and Muslim people."
The comments were perhaps a jab at several prominent statements the GOP front-runner has made over the years on climate change, including a November 2012 tweet where Trump said the "concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."
More recently, Trump has continued to position himself as a climate change denier. He told the Washington Post editorial board in March that he was "not a believer."
"I think there's a change in weather," Trump said when asked if he thought climate change was a "real thing." "I am not a great believer in mad-made climate change."
Sanders spent the majority of his rally hammering on his policy platforms, including a $15 minimum wage, equal pay for women and three months of paid maternity leave.
"Our ideas are the future of America," Sanders said. "Our ideas are the future of the Democratic Party."
UPDATE 7:30 P.M., MONDAY: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence offered his “unwavering support” for Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz at a rally in Fort Wayne.
The duo of socially conservative Republicans worked to firm up Pence’s endorsement, announced Friday and seen as a crucial piece of Cruz’s final blitz to try to win Indiana.
But the endorsement was blasted for being somewhat lukewarm, given that Pence sandwiched his support for Cruz with a commendation of Cruz’s toughest opponent, Donald Trump, and then encouragement for Hoosiers to vote as they see fit.
“Some folks in the media,” Cruz told reporters, “confused Midwest nice for less-than-enthusiastic.”
Pence shook hands and took photos with Cruz at a restaurant in Marion. In Fort Wayne, he stuck mostly to talking points that he recorded in radio ads for the campaign, praising Cruz for being a “principled conservative” who opposed “runaway federal spending.”
Cruz, meanwhile, insisted that the Republican presidential race in Indiana is “effectively tied,” saying, “The polls have been all over the place.”
Hoping for a badly needed win, Cruz traveled to Osceola, Marion, Fort Wayne and Bloomington, with a 7:30 p.m. Indianapolis rally still on his schedule at the Indiana State Fairgrounds – where Trump has already held two big rallies in the last two weeks.
UPDATE 6:37 P.M., MONDAY: GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump came to Carmel on Monday with a simple message – “Honestly, if we win Indiana, it’s over.”
Trump told 1,800 supporters at the city’s Center for the Performing Arts that if he performs well in the Hoosier state on Tuesday then the two other Republican candidates won’t be able to stop his momentum.
“And if we don’t, I’ll win it next week or the week after or the week after. It’s fine. Because they have no path whereas I have a very easy path,” Trump said.
“We are way over and way ahead of projection, and we’ll do it on the first ballot.”
Trump spoke in Carmel on Monday as Gov. Mike Pence campaigned with the GOP front-runner’s opponent, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Trump argued that Pence was “under pressure” to endorse Cruz.
“He was under a lot of pressure from his supporters and from people who put up money for politicians, in all fairness – the donors, the special interests…I like Mike Pence,” Trump said. “He said nicer things about me than Cruz. All the pundits said, ‘You know what, I think that was maybe the weakest endorsement in the history of endorsements.’ In the end, they had to re-run the tape just to find out who he was endorsing.”
And then Trump pivoted to what his supporters consider among the biggest advantages of his campaign.
“I’m self-funding my campaign,” Trump said, “so I don’t have any pressure.”
During the nearly hour-long speech, Trump focused on restoring manufacturing jobs in the country and immigration policy, getting the loudest cheers when he spoke of his proposal to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. He announced support by two other legendary Indiana sports figures – former Purdue University basketball coach Gene Keady and former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz.
But he also took jabs at Cruz and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
He criticized the alliance Cruz made with the third GOP candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in an attempt to deny Trump from winning the nomination outright. Kasich ceded Indiana for Cruz to have a clearer path to victory here, while Cruz agreed to pull out of two western states.
“How stupid is this deal,” Trump said.
“Before the ink was dry, it was violated by both parties.”
Following the rally in Carmel, Trump headed to South Bend for his last Indiana rally before Tuesday’s primary.
UPDATE 4:42 P.M., MONDAY: At a campaign rally in Fort Wayne, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders urged supporters to reject a political establishment that tells Americans, "limit your expectations."
“What we need in this country right now more than anything is millions of people from coast to coast standing up, fighting back, and demanding a government that works for all of us and not just the (wealthiest) 1 percent,” Sanders told supporters at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
His platform calls for a $15 minimum wage, a Medicare-for-all health care system, free public college and campaign finance reforms aimed at reducing corporate influence in American politics.
He also took aim at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, saying she had supported "virtually every" American free trade policy in recent decades. He blames trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement for the decline in American manufacturing.
"Well, if you’re concerned about manufacturing, don’t support trade policies that have cost us millions of jobs," Sanders said.
In truth, Clinton's stance on free trade can best be described as "complicated." As First Lady, she was lukewarm on NAFTA, even as her husband, former President Bill Clinton, signed it, the Washington Post reports. She voted against the Bush-era Central America Free Trade Agreement. As secretary of state, she promoted the Trans-Pacific Partnership around the world, but has since distance herself from the final pact, and now opposes it.
UPDATE 3:55 P.M., MONDAY:
Bob Knight isn’t the only legendary Indiana basketball coach to support Donald Trump.
Former long-time Purdue University basketball coach Gene Keady took the stage Monday before Trump’s rally in Carmel to endorse the billionaire real estate mogul.
Keady said he’s already voted for Trump.
“So I’m here to back him, to support him and his philosophy,” Keady said. “I truly believe in and always admired Coach Knight because he graduated his kids. He played hard and played the game to win, it’s what we all try to do and I think that’s what Mr. Trump wants to do.”
Keady said he listened to Trump’s recent foreign policy speech and thought “He just won himself a presidency.”
Knight publicly endorsed Trump last week in what the Republican front-runner described as “the greatest endorsement in the history of Indiana.”
The Carmel rally at the Center for the Performing Arts is set to begin at 4 p.m.
UPDATE 2:13 P.M. MONDAY:
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz took a detour from a campaign stop in Marion to debate a group of Donald Trump supporters.
“This man is lying to you and he’s taking advantage of you,” Cruz told one Trump supporter, who had set up shop across the street from the Mill restaurant, where Cruz was stumping with Gov. Mike Pence ahead of Tuesday’s presidential primary.
When Cruz left the restaurant, the protesters greeted him with jeers of “Lyin’ Ted,” one of Trump’s go to attacks on his GOP rival.
“You are the problem, politician, you are the problem,” protester Shane Auler told him.
Cruz debated Auler about Trump’s proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that Trump had a track record of relying on illegal immigrant labor in his own real estate ventures.
A federal court awarded a $570,000 judgment against a Trump Tower contractor who paid immigrant laborers below the minimum wage. Trump has denied any knowledge of the contractor’s hiring practices.
As the debate wound down, Cruz turned to his own supporters and said that if he were Trump, “I would’ve told the folks over there, go and punch those guys in the face. That’s what Donald does to protesters.
“Do you want your kids repeating the words of Donald Trump?” Cruz asked.
UPDATE 1:50 P.M. MONDAY: Donald Trump stopped for lunch Monday at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis and said he liked Gov. Mike Pence's endorsement of Republican rival Sen. Ted Cruz.
"I think what he said about me is nicer than what he said about Cruz," Trump told reporters as he led a key poll one day before the Indiana primary.
"I have a great relationship with Indiana and the people here," Trump said. "I think we're going to do great."
The real estate developer said he is proud to have the endorsement of former IU coach Bob Knight. "He wants to see the country win again."
Trump sat down with his advisors at a Shapiro's table for a sandwich and then went back to working the lunchtime crowd.
UPDATE 10:59 A.M., MONDAY: "Bobby Night" is joining Donald Trump on the Indiana campaign trail Monday. You remember Night, he coached basketball rings at Indiana University.
Trump sent out a tweet Monday about Bob Knight providing "amazing' support to the campaign, but misspelled the last name of the hall of fame coach. It was one more basketball flub among Republican candidates in basketball-proud Indiana.
Trump deleted the tweet and posted a new one about campaigning Monday with Knight.
Last, week Ted Cruz coined the phrase "basketball ring" for a basketball rim in stop at the "Hoosiers" gym in Knightstown.
John Kasich is the only Republican contender not make a grave basketball error in the state. Of course he chose not to campaign in Indiana.
UPDATE 10:45 A.M., MONDAY: Democratic candidate for president Bernie Sanders will rally Monday morning in Evansville, one of several campaign events held by the candidates ahead of Tuesday's primary.
The rally, which is being held at Old National Events Plaza, kicks off at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Sanders' visit to the center is the third made by a presidential candidate in the last week, the Evansville Courier and Press reports. Republican candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump visited last week, bringing in crowds of 1,000 and 12,000, respectively.
Cruz, meanwhile, began his day in Osceola, Ind., and will make campaign stops throughout the state, culminating in a rally tonight in Indianapolis. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who endorsed Cruz last week, will join the Texas senator in Marion and Fort Wayne.
EARLIER:
Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders will all hold rallies in the Indianapolis area Monday in a final push for Hoosier votes ahead of the state's critical Tuesday primary.
Trump, the Republican front-runner, will be in Carmel for a 4 p.m. event at the Center for Performing Arts. Doors open at 1 p.m. Register here for the free event.
His top rival, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, will be at a rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a 7 p.m. rally. That's the same place where Trump held two rallies in recent days, attracting 4,000 to 5,000 people.
The event will include appearances by Cruz running mate Carly Fiorina and conservative radio and TV personality Glenn Beck. It's being organized by Keep the Promise, a super PAC supporting Cruz, which is advertising the event on local radio. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. RSVP here for the free event.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont will hold a 7:30 p.m. rally on Monument Circle in Downtown Indianapolis. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. RSVP here. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has a large delegate lead over Sanders, held a rally in Indianapolis on Sunday. As of Sunday evening, she had had not announced any appearances in Indiana on Monday.
Trump, Cruz and Sanders will be holding events at other locations across the state on Monday as well.
The candidates are making their closing arguments ahead of what has been a wild primary contest, especially on the Republican side.
Poll: Reversal of fortune, Donald Trump tops Ted Cruz in Indiana
Cruz and other anti-Trump forces badly need a win in Indiana if they are going to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the nomination outright and force a contested race at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer. But Trump enters the Indiana race with momentum from several big wins in northeastern states and is leading Cruz here according to most polls.
In response, Cruz has sought to shake up the race with a number of surprise announcements this week, including:
- A multi-state non-compete agreement with the contest's third Republican, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, that effectively turned the Indiana primary a two-man race between Cruz and Trump.
- His selection of one-time competitor Carly Fiorina as his running mate, an unusual move for a candidate who has not won the nomination.
- An endorsement from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who is taking a risk in bucking the party's front-runner.
With two days left in the race, and most candidates in town tomorrow, who knows what else could happen.
This story will be updated.
IndyStar reporters Michael Anthony Adams and Jill Disis contributed to this story.
Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony